you faveh
me with my engine_?"

Thus the Rajah; and the chief clerk, himself known from end to end of
the Colorado and Grand River as a queller of men, could only point out
of the window to where the Rosemary stood engined and equipped for the
race, and say meekly: "I'm awfully sorry you've been delayed, Mr.
Darrah; very sorry, indeed. But your car is ready now. Shall I go
along to be on hand if you need me?"

"No, seh!" stormed the irate master; and the chief clerk's face became
instantly expressive of the keenest relief. "You stay right heah and
see that the wires to Qua'tz Creek are kept open--wide open, seh. And
when you get an ordeh from me--for an engine, a regiment of the
National Gyua'd, or a train-load of white elephants--you fill it. Do
you understand, seh?"

Meantime, while this scene was getting itself enacted in the
superintendent's office, a mild fire of consternation was alight in
the gathering room of the Rosemary. As we have guessed, Winton's
packet of mail was not the only one which was delivered by special
arrangement that morning to the incoming Limited at the yard
registering station. There had been another, addressed to Mr.
Somerville Darrah; and when he had opened it there had been a volcanic
explosion and a hurried dash for the telegraph office, as recorded.

Sifted out by the Reverend Billy, and explained by him to Mrs.
Carteret and Bessie, the firing spark of the explosion appeared to be
some news of an untoward character from a place vaguely designated as
"the front."

"It seems that there is some sort of a right-of-way scrimmage going on
up in the mountains between our road and the Utah Short Line," said
the young man. "It was carried into the courts, and now it turns out
that the decision has gone against us."

"How perfectly horrid!" said Miss Bessie. "Now I suppose we shall have
to stay here indefinitely while Uncle Somerville does things." And
placid Mrs. Carteret added plaintively: "It's too bad! I think they
might let him have one little vacation in peace."

"Who talks of peace?" queried Virginia, driven in from her post of
vantage on the observation platform by the smoke from the
switching-engine. "Didn't I see Uncle Somerville charging across to
the telegraph office with war written out large in every line of him?"

"I am afraid you did," affirmed the Reverend Billy; and thereupon the
explanation was rehearsed for Virginia's benefit.

The brown eyes flashed militant sympat